Refractory brick wall with a comolded hanger assembly



June 27, 1967 W, RHONE ETAL 3,327,445

REFRACTORY BRICK WALL WITH A COMOLDED HANGER ASSEMBLY Filed July 27, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG].

FIGZ.

mvzu'ronsz WILSON C. RHONE BY HENRY L. ROUDABUSH WWW June 27, 1967 w, c, RHQNE L 3,327,445

REFRACTORY BRICK WALL WITH A COMOLDED HANGER ASSEMBLY Filed July 27, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGS.

mvt'uroas: WILSON C. RHONE BY HENRY L. ROUDABUSH WZW ATTYS.

United States Patent Pennsylvania Filed July 27, 1964, Ser. No. 385,153 8 Claims. (Cl. 52-486) The present invention relates generally to vertical furnace wall constructions and more particularly to an improved supported refractory wall construction of the type used in metallurgical and chemical process furnaces wherein the weight of the wall is supported at intervals by support means connected with an exterior supporting frame and wherein the individual furnace bricks are individually secured to the supporting frame to prevent bulging or sagging of the wall during furnace operation.

For vertical refractory structures such as the chill walls and end walls of open hearth furnaces, wall sections of copper furnaces, and the like, which are subjected to extremely high temperatures over an extended period of time, it has been found desirable to support the walls at intervals by means of an adjacent external metal framework and to tie the individual refractory bricks to the framework by means of hooks or hangers to main tain the wall alignment. The weight of an unsupported refractory wall is considered a cause of cracking and spalling of the bricks under furnace operating conditions, and the use of external support means to reduce the wall compressive forces extends the servicable life of the bricks and increases the efliciency of the furnace. In addition, the replacement of individual bricks may, in most instances, be more readily accomplished in supported furnace walls.

Arrangements previously developed for supporting furnace walls have been generally characterized by elaborate, expensive supporting structures which are time-consuming to install and which require a large number of differently shaped or sized elements. Many such arrangements demand a variety of complex refractory shapes which further contributes to the cost of erection and maintenance. Since walls of this type are periodically completely renewed, necessitating a shutdown of the furnace, the speed with which the walls can be assembled or dismantled is of critical importance, and the present complicated constructions have not proven eflicient in this respect.

It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide a supported furnace wall of a simple, economical construction.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a supported furnace wall as described which may be erected or disassembled in a relatively short time.

A further object of the invention is to provide a supported refractory wall as described wherein the furnace bricks are individually secured to an exterior framework by means of a novel brick hanger arrangement.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention Will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments thereof when taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective exterior View of a portion of a furnace wall in accordance with the present invention showing the details of the supported attachment thereof to an exterior frame member;

FIG. 2 is a view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1 showing a support shoe in plan view;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of 3,327,445 Patented June 27, 1967 FIG. 1 showing the details of the individual brick hanger assemblies;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing a support shoe and a refractory brick adapted for coaction therewith;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the manner in which a hanger assembly is positioned in a brick casing prior to coinciding of the assembly with the brick;

FIG. 7 is an end view of the assembled elements as shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a modified hanger arrangement positioned in a casing for comolding with a brick; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 8 following pressing of the brick.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a furnace wall generally designated 10 comprised principally of refract-ory bricks 12 of rectangular cross-section, which wall structure is secured to and supported by an exterior metal framework comprising a series of spaced vertical I beams 14, only one of which appears in the drawings. The present invention in brief is characterized by novel support shoes 16 secured in vertically spaced relation on the I beams 14 for supporting sections of the wall 10 and, in addition, includes a J bolt hanger assembly 18 anchored in a novel manner within each refractory brick 12 .to permit attachment of each brick to an I beam 14.

The spaced vertical I beams 14 are located adjacent the rear face of the refractory wall and are of the usual I beam shape, having a central web 20 connecting an inner flange 22 and an outer flange 24. In addition, the I beams 14 include flange lips 26 disposed outwardly from the outer ends of the inner flange 22. The flange lips 26 form, in conjunction with the inner flange 22 and the web 20, shallow, outwardly opening vertical grooves 28 along each side of the I beam which, as discussed further hereinafter, coact with the J bolt assemblies 18 of the individual refractory bricks to secure the bricks in the proper position. At spaced locations along the I beams 14, pairs of holes 30 are positioned in parallel relation in the inner flange 22, constituting locking means for locking the support shoes 16 in position.

The support shoes 16, each of which in the illustrated embodiment is shown supporting a section of the Wall, two lbricks wide and eight bricks high, are constructed as shown most clearly in FIG. 5. Each sup-port shoe consists of a single metal casting having a heel portion 31 adapted for coaction with the inner flange 22 of an I beam 14, and a toe portion 32 extending inwardly into the wall a distance suflicient to support a wall section. The toe portion 32 includes a beveled inner edge 33 leading to a horizontal brick supporting face 34 having spaced brick securing lugs 36 extending upwardly therefrom. The brick supporting face 34 extends outwardly to the up wardly inclined face 38 of the heel portion 31 from which outwardly project the opposed arms 40. Fingers 42 extending in opposed relation from the arms 40 provide a flange engaging means for coaction with the inner flange 22 of an I beam 14, the inner flange passing between the opposed arms 40 with the fingers 42 engaging the flange lips 26.

Projecting outwardly from the support shoe at the base of the opposed arms 40 is the shoulder 44 adapted to abut the inner face 46 of the I beam inner flange 22 and from which outwardly project the spaced positioning pins 48 adapted to coact with the holes 30 in the flange 22. As appears most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3, the shoulder 44 extends partway into the vertical opening between the 0pposed arms 40 such that a space 50 exists between the inner face 46 of the inner flange 22 and the upper edge 51 of the inclined face 38 of a width at least equal to the length of the positioning pins 48 to permit the positioning of the support shoe on the I beam 14 in a ma ner to be discussed below. The bottom face 52 of each support shoe extends in a flat horizontal manner from the inner edge of the beveled face 33 to the outer edge of the shoulder 44 to permit a flush relationship with the refractory brick immediately therebeneath as shown in FIG. 1.

For installation, the support shoes 16 are engagegd with the inner flanges 22 of the I beams 14 at either the top or bottom of the I beams and slid vertically along the flanges into the desired positions at which the positioning pins 48 are inserted in the holes 3t) in the flanges. The support shoes may be vertically spaced as far apart as desired although, in the preferred arrangement, the shoes are spaced approximately eight brick layers apart. It Will be apparent that in order to move the shoes along the flanges, the shoes must be canted upwardly to permit the positioning pins to clear the inner flange surfaces. The space 50 between the flange and edge 51 is essential to allow the canting and sliding of the shoes along the I beams.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5, the layer of bricks directly above the support shoes comprises recessed refractory bricks 54 which are shaped to coact with the support shoes in flush fitting relation such that a shoe with a pair of the recessed bricks 54 mounted thereon occupies substantially the same space which would be occupied by two regular bricks 12. Each recessed brick 54 is made up of a pressed refractory portion 56 covered by a casing 58 and is of the usual brick shape except for the recess 60 in the outer bottom region thereof, which recess includes an upwardly beveled face 62, a flat horizontal surface 64, and a beveled face 66, each of which are adapted to coact with the surfaces 32, 34 and 38, respectively, of the support shoes. A depression 68 is formed in the surface 64 to receive one of the lugs 36 of the support shoe, thus anchoring each recessed brick against outward movement and eliminating the necessity of tying the recessed bricks to the supporting framework.

To prevent outward movement of the brick layers above the recessed brick layer, a J bolt hanger assembly 18 is provided to secure each brick to an I beam 14. In the preferred embodiment shown most clearly in FIGS. 4, 6, and 7, the hanger assembly 18 includes a hex head bolt 70 extending longitudinally into the brick and threadedly engaged with the nut '72 positioned flush with the back or cold face of the brick. In this instance, the nut 72 adjoins the bottom face of the brick casing element 7 4 although the nut and threadedly engage-d bolt could be located at any convenient point on the cold face of the brick. For convenience in positioning the nut and bolt in the casing element 74 for pressing of the brick, tabs 76 are provided on both sides of the nut. A J bolt 78 is threadedly engaged with the nut 72 in opposed relation to the bolt 70 and extending outwardly from the cold face of the brick. The nut 72 is permanently secured in the brick, being anchored therein by the bolt 70 extending well into the hardened refractory material. The J bolts 78 may be added following the pressing of the bricks although they are most conveniently attached at the furnace site upon erection of a wall, permitting shipping and handling of the bricks without the hazardous projecting J bolts. The J bolts may be pivoted to any desired disposition and the hanger assembly is thus well adapted for replacement service as well as initial construction as illustrated. Although illustrated in the setting of a vertical furnace wall, the novel hanger assembly is well suited for use in a suspended furnace roof construction either for initial installation or for replacement of 'the bricks.

In the present wall construction, as shown most clearly in FIGS. 1 and 4, the J bolts of the bricks 12 are engaged with the grooves 28 of the inner flanges 22 of the I beams 14 to prevent inward movement of the individual bricks and to insure against bulging or sagging of the furnace 8 and 9 comprising a one piece I bolt 80 which includes a comolded anchor portion 82 of an irregular shape serving to positively anchor the J bolt in the refractory material of the brick 84. The one piece assembly, although more economical to manufacture, does not provide the advantages of the preferred construction which permit pivoting or removal of the extending J bolt portion.

Manifestly, changes in details of construction can be effected by those skilled in the art Without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in and limited solely by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A supported furnace wall structure comprising a refractory brick wall, a supporting frame externally adjoining said Wall including a plurality of spaced vertical I beams, each said I beam having an inner flange adjacent and parallel to the outer face of the wall, a plurality of support shoes secured to each said I beam and adapted for supporting sections of said wall, each said support shoe including a toe portion extending into said well for supporting the brick layers thereof and a heel portion for attachment of the shoe to an inner flange of one of said I beams, said heel portion including opposed arms each having a finger thereon adapted to engage the inner flange of an I beam, a plurality of the bricks of said wall being secured to said supporting frame by means of a hanger assembly comolded therewithin and including a J bolt extending outwardly from the cold face thereof, each said J bolt being engaged with a flange of one of said I beams.

2. A supported furnace wall structure comprising a refractory brick wall, a supporting frame externally adjoining said wall including a plurality of spaced vertical I beams, each said I beam having an inner, flange adjacent and parallel to the outer face of the wall, a plurality of support shoes secured to each said I beam and adapted for supporting sections of said wall, each said support shoe including a toe portion extending into said Wall for supporting the brick layers thereof and a heel portion for attachment of the shoe to an inner flange of one of said I beams, said heel portion including opposed arms each having a finger thereon adapted to engage the inner flange of an I beam, and a shoulder below said arms for abutting the inner face of the I beaminner flange, a positioning pin extending from said shoulder adapted to coact with holes in said flange to prevent vertical movement of the shoe along the flange, the bricks directly supported on said support shoes being recessed to receive said shoes, a brick-securing lug extending upwardly from said support shoes into a depression in the recessed bricks, a plurality of the bricks of said wall being secured to said supporting frame by means of a hanger assembly comolded therewithin and including a J bolt extending outwardly from the cold face thereof, each said J bolt being engaged with a flange of one of said I beams.

3. A supported furnace wall as claimed in claim 2 including flange lips on said I beam inner flange forming vertical grooves along said I beams for engagement with said J bolts.

4. A supported furnace wall structure as claimed in claim 2 wherein each said hanger assembly comprises a nut comolded in the brick in flush relation with the cold face thereof, a bolt threadedly engaged with said nut and extending into the brick perpendicularly to the cold face thereof, and said J bolt detachably and pivotally threadedly engaged with said nut extending outwardly from the cold face of the brick.

5. A supported furnace wall structure as claimed in claim 2 wherein said hanger assembly comprises a metal rod having an irregularly shaped end comolded in the brick and said J bolt shaped end extending from the cold face of the brick.

6. Support means for a brick layered furnace wall comprising a supporting frame externally adjoining said wall including a plurality of spaced vertical I beams, each said I beam having an inner flange adjacent and parallel to the outer face of the wall, a plurality of support shoes secured to each said I beam and adapted for supporting sections of said wall, each said support shoe including a toe portion extending into said wall between the brick layers thereof and a heel portion for attachment of the shoe to an inner flange of one of said I beams, said heel portion including opposed arms each having a finger thereon adapted to engage the inner flange of an I beam, and a shoulder below said arms for abutting the inner face of the I beam inner flange, a positioning pin ex tending from said shoulder adapted to coact with holes in said flange to prevent vertical movement of the shoe along the flange.

7. A supported furnace wall as claimed in claim 6 wherein the bricks resting on said support shoes are recessed to receive said shoes.

8. A supported furnace wall as claimed in claim 7 wherein the toe portion of each support shoe includes a brick-securing lug extending upwardly and wherein each brick of the layer immediately above said shoes includes a depression for coaction with one such lug, the coaction of the lugs and depressions preventing horizontal movement of the bricks.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 839,272 12/ 1906 Crow 52-5 87 X 855,994 6/ 1907 Sorrell 248-244 922,877 5/191-1 Kahn 52-707 1,703,656 2/1929 Betts 263-46 2,127,973 8/1938 Isett 94-4 2,486,077 10/1949 Taylor 248-244 X 2,581,989 1/1952 Weber -1 2,868,009 1/1959 Weber 52-482 3,158,963 12/1964 Demaison 52-486 X 3,242,831 3/1966 Crone 94-8 FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner. JOHN E. MURTAGH, Examiner. 

1. A SUPPORTED FURNACE WALL STRUCTURE COMPRISING A REFRACTORY BRICK WALL, A SUPPORTING FRAME EXTERNALLY ADJOINING SAID WALL INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF SPACED VERTICAL I BEAMS, EACH SAID I BEAM HAVING AN INNER FLANGE ADJACENT AND PARALLEL TO THE OUTER FACE OF THE WALL, A PLURALITY OF SUPPORT SHOES SECURED TO EACH SAID I BEAM AND ADAPTED FOR SUPPORTING SECTIONS OF SAID WALL, EACH SAID SUPPORT SHOE INCLUDING A TOE PORTION EXTENDING INTO SAID WALL FOR SUPPORTING THE BRICK LAYERS THEREOF AND A HEEL PORTION FOR ATTACHMENT OF THE SHOE TO AN INNER FLANGE OF ONE OF SAID I BEAMS, SAID HEEL PORTION INCLUDING OPPOSED ARMS EACH HAVING A FINGER THEREON ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE INNER FLANGE OF AN I BEAM, A PLURALITY OF THE BRICKS OF SAID WALL BEING SECURED TO SAID SUPPORTING FRAME BY MEANS OF A HANGER ASSEMBLY COMOLDED THEREWITHIN AND INCLUDING A J BOLT EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE COLD FACE THEREOF, EACH SAID J BOLT BEING ENGAGED WITH A FLANGE OF ONE OF SAID I BEAMS. 